Motor starting system



g- 6, 1940- s. B. GmscoM MOTOR STARTING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 14, less 3 Sheets-Sheet l m R0 Y m m m N R M Mm II A Z Z e m .7

WI TN ESS ES:

}. J/mw maze 3 Sheat-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 14, 1938 IIII'IIIII IIIIIIIII INVENTOR Sa/vzzzelfl 677500222.

BY ME.

ATTORNEY WITNESSES: v

I Aug. 6, 1940.-- s, B. GRISCOM MOTOR STARTING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 14, 1938 3 Sheets-5heet 3 ATTQRNEY anions moron soar-arms SE'dilElii Samuel B. Griscom, Forest-Hills, Pa, sentence to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing illom= pany, East Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation oi Application September M, 1938, Serial No. 229,85? 9 Claims. (ill. lea-mess) My invention relates to motor starting systems, with polyphase windings on all out one oi the and more particularly to certain improvements cores. An independent winding is wound on the in starting methods and systems for alternating remaining core and is connected to a source of current motors. unidirectional current. Briefly, when the motor In the method of starting alternating current reaches substantially synchronous speed, connecmotors of either the synchronous or the inductions are made to operate the transformer tion type, it is customary to start such motors directly as a reactor. During such transition by applying a reduced voltage until the motor period. the reactor is saturated by the indehas accelerated to a predetermined speed and pendent winding reducing the impedance of the to then applying full voltage thereto. For obvious winding to a desired value, consequently raising reasons this method of starting is undesirable theterminal voltage of the motor to a value for the windings of the motor are temporarily disapproximating that of the line voltage, whereconnected from the power source in making the upon the motor may be connected directly to a transfer from the starting to the running posifull voltage. A system of control is provided for tion, and consequently an undesirable line surge automatically bringing the motor to its normal or voltage flicker results. Those acquainted running operation upon actuating a single push with the art are aware of numerous systems 0021- button. earning methods for reducing or eliminating the .It is, therefore, an object of my invention to current surge in a distribution system. provide a motor starting system in which the go In making a transfer to a running position, motor is started on 9. reduced voltage and is the initial rush of current depends upon the same gradually transferred to a; normal running factors that control the current when synchronizvoltage.

ing a machine, namely, the difference in m- Another object of my invention is to control tude and phase position ofthe machine withrethe starting of an alternating current motor by spect to the terminal voltages. It-thereiore, be-. means oi an auto-transformer adapted to operate comes necessary to provide means for gradually as a reactor.

eflecting the transition between starting and Still further, it ia'an object oi my invention running voltages. Known starting methods are to provide a motor starting system by varying not eiieetlve and flexible enough for starting the impedance between the motor and its source so motors under various operating conditions, such oi supply. a

as, with various degrees oi loading. Another object or my invention is to provide In electric power service, there are numerous a motor starting system of the above character instances where line-start motors are used withthat shall be simple, reliable and automatic in out any objectlonal voltage drop. However, operation.

33 there are instances where a single motor repre- 7 Other objects and advantages of my invention sents the largest block of the total load and IE will become apparent from the following detailed line-starting were per-mi a current of several description taken in conjunction with the accomtimes the normal rating oi the motor would be drawings, in which: required. Particularly is this so where air coo Figure 1 is a diagrtic illustration of a w ditioning equipment is installed in private resistarting showing one embodiment or my dances, motor-generator sets in hotels and large invention; 4 department stores are operated from the low Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic showing oi another voltage networks in downtown areas and in small embodiment 01' my invention; communities where a factory may have a single Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic showing or a still :5 motor with a starting demand exceeding the enfurther modification 01' my invention;

tire other load of the community. Fig. i is a curve showing the relationship be- My inventiomin particular, deals with cases tween line current demand and time for an where reduced voltage starting by auto-tr ordinary auto transiormer started motor, and

former methods is satisfactory from the stand- 5 is a curve showing the same relation- {3 point of the initial bump but objectionable durships for an auto-transformer started motor has the transfer from the starting to running accordingtomyinvention.

interval. Beierflng more icularly to Fig. l of the According to my invention, the motor is drawings, I show a motor iii which may be either started from a low voltage source through an of the synchronous or wound rotor type, being 5 auto transformer comprising a multi-leg core supplied with electrical energy from on alternat The above outlined coil iB-oi starting back to the other direct current bus It. The cir-' results in the closing of ins current through a sourceindicatedbybuseslJandit main circuit breaker 4. an autoable resistor 12 between rent source and the independent winding ll or by the use of a closed circuit winding 45, or both. While conditions may require a rapid building up oi flux in the core 49, circumstances may develop requiring a slower. building p p ocess. This may be eflectively accomplished by mounting a short-circuited leg l9 '0! the core as the independent winding 48 or may be divided with an turns on each of the legs lo, 41, II and ll. Generally, the time constant for the building up process by the independentwinding it should be made to approximate that of the held a 0! the motor M being 'started.

windings on each leg,-need requisite control can be obtained with rheostat 4! alone. A better understanding oithe novel features of my invention and its relation to an alternating current motor M can he hadfrom a study 01! the starting sequence. Assume the attendant wishes to start the motor M, he closes the switch I which I have illustrated asapush-mttonswitchalthoughitistoheum derstood that switch 2 may beclosed by any automatic means it round desirable, or by a suitable circuit breaker l, a normally closed stop switch 5 and back to another alternating current bus 6.

circuit supplies current to the operating coil 8 of the circuit breaker l and the circuit breaker I closes its contact members I, I, I, ll, II, I! and I}. Closure of contact members It establishes a holding circuit for coil 3 and switch 2 may be opened.

The closing of contact members It establishes a closed circuit from bus ll of the direct current source, through contact members II. the nor mally closed contact members I, the operating switch l1 and conductor ll,

cuit thus established contact members 20, 2|, 2! and the opening contact members ll of the starting switch of ii.

'a reduced voltage.

the unidirectional curwinding 45 on the same equal number of' It is to be under stood; however, that the short-circuited winding I that i came interval,

. tact members i5 openand contact members I! hers I, 8 and Q of cult breaker l and contact 28 22 of the starting switch II are all closed, armature winding 23 of the motor M is with alternating current from lmsesl. 0 and It through the auto-transformer 25 motor. begins to accelerate.

It will course,that the portion of the auto-transformer Since contact in .25 through which the motor M will be connected during the starting period will be adjusted by suitable well known means.

' The closing of contact members I! completes a circuit from the bus it through contact members ii, the operating coil 26 of the field contactor TI and conductor l8 completion of this bersfl open.

- opens the field discharge. circuit of the fleld winding 33 through members 32 are so arrang reference to the contact members 29 and "that the contact members 32 open an instant after contact members 29 and 3. close. The ileld winding is thus at no time during the startinz on open circuit. Furthermore, the closure 0!- contact members 29 and it connects the field windinglttothesourceoi currentand thereby synchronizes the motor M.

The time limit means 28 are in practice so adjusted that the motor M will be at its balancins speed operating as an induction motor before synchronization is effected.

close.

opening of the contact members I! opens the circuit for coil ll of the startin switch l1 and in consequence Ill, 2| and 22 are opened and contact members 41 are closed. The motor armature is no longer energized at a low voltage through a selected portion of the windings 39. ll and II oi the auto-transformer 2!, but the motor armature 23 is connected to the source of alternatin current through given portions 0! these transformer windings acting as reactors.

It should be noted that the opening at contact members 20, II and 22 does not open the armature energizing circuit. The circuit remains closedi'rombuses lJandflthrcughaportion oi thewindins 3!," andll actingasreactors.

contact members It direct current bus contact members i I. adjustable resistor or rheostat 42, independent winding ,contaet members II and conductor ll tobus is. g

. Due to the inherent inductance of the indeendent winding 43 there will he a time delay in the building up of the flux. Thisdelay is desirable for a gradual voltage change may be had of the reactor low value thus increasing the voltage on the motor M gradually. Essentially then this step in the building up process is to convert the to bus 19. Upon impedance from a high to a :1, 1:. I ll throus rent to the field winding auto-transformer winding 39. t and 4! into a direct reactor, and saturating the latter thereby reducing the impedance of those portions of the transformer windings in series with the motor M and the source-of supply. After a short delay, the terminal voltage in motor M will approach the voltage of the supply with possibly only a few degrees lag in phase relationship.

The speed withwhich saturation may take place may be adjusted by the adjustable shortcircuited winding 45 on the core leg is. The rate of saturationmay, of course, be thus adiusted at will, but ordinarily the mostdesirable acceleration can be obtained by making the time constant of winding 45 approximately that of the fieldwinding as 33 of the motor being started.

When contact members 38 are closed, a circuit is completed from the direct current bus H,

through contactmembers l3. contact members 38, the actuating coil 50 of the time limit relay BI, and back to the other bus l9. After a predetermined time, as determined by time limit means 52, contact members 53 close and a circuit is established from the direct current bus l4, through the operating coil 54' of the running switch 55 contact members 53 and conductor l8 back to the other direct current bus IS. The completion of the latter circuit sends energizing current to the coil 54 and, in consequence, the motor M is connected through contact members 59, 60 and SI directly to the full voltage of the source of alternating current.

As exemplary of the manner in which my invention is to be applied, I have shown in Figures 4 and 5, a graphical outline of the characteristics of a motor as started by the ordinary autotransformer method and the method according to my invention. Both figures illustrate the relationship that exists between current demand and time. By a comparison of the two figures it will be seen that while the peaks designated by letters A and C are satisfactory from the standpoint of the initial bump, yet the bump in transferring from starting to running connections is objectionable. From an inspection of Figure 4, it can be readily seen that the bump at point B may be considerably higher than peak at A.

According to my invention the peak designated by letter B is substituted by two smaller peaks as shown by letter D and E in ciflcally the peak at D occurs upon opening the starting switch l1 while the peak at E is formed when the transfer to the running switch 515 is made. The net effect is to reduce an abrupt voltage drop which may cause a noticeable flicker to the eye and effect a smooth transfer between the starting and running connections.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2 I show a variation in the starting process that can be made in the transfer operation. In this modiflcation the field contactor 21 applies direct our- 33 of motor M simultaneously through contact member 44', applying direct current to the saturating winding 43 before the transition breaker I1 is opened.

Insofar as the line voltage is concerned, there is little tendency for the current to change, because by energizing the motor field 33 leading current will be drawn while, on the other hand, saturating the auto-transformer core while the breaker I1 is closed will draw lagging wattless current. The two currents may be made to approximate one another thereby cancelling their effect on the line current. Due to the fact that supply line.

may be readily understood from the auto-transformer 25 is partly saturated when the breaker I1 is opened, the phase displacement will be practically negligible. The operation heretofore described in connection with Fig. 1 may likewise be read in connection with Fig. 2, since it is, except for the time of energization of the winding 43, practically the same.

Referring to Fig. 3 I show another modifies-- plying a reduced voltage to the motor M which will accelerate to near synchronous speed.

In the starting sequence heretofore described when the switch I1 is opened and the auto-transformer 25 is converted into a straight reactor,

a major portion of the line voltage will instantly appear across the Rectox 58 from which a unidirectional current can be supplied to the independent winding 43. When switch I! isopened and the sequence of operations heretofore described followed resulting in sending an energizing current to the coil 54, in consequence closing contact members 58', 60' and 6! and opening the normally closed contact members 56 and 51 thereby disconnecting the Rectox 58 from the The operation of the circuit shown otherwise essentially the same as 1 and hence repetition is unnecesin Fig. 3 is shown in Fig. sary.

The above-described method for starting an alternating current motor results in substantially eliminating the peak in the starting current as a study of the curve in Fig. 4 which illustrates current demand using the ordinary transition method, while the curve in Fig. 5 shows current demand with my improved method.

While, for purposes of illustration, I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the true spirit of my invention of the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A starting system for an alternating current motor comprising, in combination, an altemating current motor, an auto transformer, a source of electric power, low voltage starting connection, transition connections, high voltage running connections, of means for connecting said motor to said auto transformer through said starting connections, means for reconnecting said motor from said starting connections to said transition connections upon reaching substantially synchronous speed, means for transferring said motor to said running connections, said last mentioned means including said auto-transformer, and means for connecting said auto transformer first as a transformer and subsequently as a reactor with said switch supply source through said auto-transformer 'member in starting position,

' means for bringing said motor into synchronism,

means for saturating said transformer upon transferring said'motor from its starting position to an intermediate position and a switch member for connecting said motor directly to said power source a predetermined time after saturating said transformer;

'3. A starting system for an alternating current motor comprising, in combination, a source of electrical: power, an alternating current motor,

v an auto-step-downtransformer, means tor con rent motor comprising,

necting" said motor with said power supply through said auto-transformer, means for reconnecting said auto-transformer as a direct of electric power, an alternating current motor,

an auto-starter, switching means for connecting said motor to said power supply through said auto-starter with saidswitching means in starting position, said auto-starter comprising a multi-leg core with polyphase windings on some of said legs, an independent magnetizing winding on the other of said legs, means for magnetizing said independent winding simultaneously upon transferring said motor from tion to a transition position and switching means for connecting said motor to its running position at a time depending upon the degree of saturation.

5. A controlsystem for starting synchronous motors comprising, in combination, a synchronous motor, an auto-transformer provided with low voltage starting connection, high voltage running connections, said transformer having a saturable core, polyphase windings on said core and an ndependent winding wound on a separate leg of said core and means for supplying to said independent winding a unidirectional current for saturating said core simultaneously upon transferring said motor from said low voltage starting connection to said high voltage running connection.

in combination, a source switching said auto-transformer its starting posi 6. A method of starting an alternating current motor having an armature winding and-a field winding which consists in connecting said armature winding to a low starting voltage through an auto-transformer, supplying a current to said field winding, connecting said'autotransformer as a direct reactor when said motor reaches substantially synchronous speed, applying a direct-current source of potential to a separate winding on said auto-transformer thereby saturating said reactor until substantially fullvoltage is supplied to said motor, reconnecting said reactor and connecting said motor directly to a source of high running voltage.

7. A method 'of starting an alternating current motor comprising the application of low voltage to said motor through an auto-step-down transformer, connecting the windings of said transformer as a direct reactor, applying a directcurrent source of potential to a separate winding on said auto-transformer"thereby saturating said reactor, adjusting the rate of saturation to conform to the field current of said motor, reconnecting said reactor and voltage to said motor.

8. A method of controlling an alternating current motor having rotor and stator windings comprising the application of a low starting voltage across said stator winding through an autotransformer, maintaining low voltage on said motor until substantially normal speed is attained. to operate on a direct-current source of impressing full running a reactor, applying potential to a separate winding on said autotransformer thereby saturating said reactor to reduce the impedance between the power source and said motor, reconnecting said reactor when said impedance reaches a predetermined value and impressing full running voltage thereafter to said stator.

9. A method of starting a synchronous motor having an armature and a field winding wh1ch consists in impressing a low starting voltage across said armature winding through an auto- ..transformer until near reached, simultaneously energizing said field winding, reconnecting the windings of said autotransformer to serve as a reactor, supplying unidirectional current to an independent winding on said reactor to produce saturation, reconnecting said reactor, and connecting said motor to full running voltage.

SAMUEL B. GRISCOM synchronous speed is 

